1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Now, last week I received a letter from a family 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: raising concerns about a lack of support in Darwin for 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: their teenage daughter who's battling and eating disorder. They claim 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: that mental health services at top end hospitals do not 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: treat teenagers with anorexia and that the community Youth Psychiatry 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: team doesn't accept referrals for it either. Now the family 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: says they've been left with no specialist services for their 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: fourteen year old daughter. But we've done some digging and 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: found that Headspace does offer some support. Now joining us 10 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:37,639 Speaker 1: on the line is Headspace Darwin acting Clinical operations Manager 11 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: Jessica Cheers Well and as well as that clinical psychologist Teaganholtham. 12 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: Good morning to you both. 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. 14 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: Now I might go to you first, Jessica. What support 15 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: does Headspace provide when it comes to eating disorders? 16 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: Thanks Katie. So, Headspace is a free service for young 17 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: people twelve to twenty five. We've got an office up 18 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: in Darwin and one down in Palmerston. Part of the 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 2: services that we do have two dedicated eating disorder clinicians 20 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: a part of our staff and group who support young 21 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 2: people in the community and their families with disordered eating. 22 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: And so in terms of I guess the demand for 23 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: those two staff members, have you got quite you know, 24 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: quite a few people wanting their services? 25 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: Yeah? 26 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think since the program started we do find 27 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 2: that the team are under demand quite a bit. At 28 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 2: the moment, we're supporting about twenty young people across those 29 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 2: two clinicians who both are part time clinicians, And yeah, 30 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 2: we do certainly see the demand and we're in our 31 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: community for young people with disordered eating and their families 32 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: and the. 33 00:01:56,040 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: Doctor's referrals needed or who you know, can families get 34 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: in what like? What can people do if they need 35 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: that support? Yeah? 36 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: Absolute, great question. So certainly if there's any young people 37 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 2: or families in the community that are wanting to link 38 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 2: up with support, it is about just getting in touch 39 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 2: with Headspace as a first step. So we can certainly 40 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 2: accept referrals. There's an online referral form or even just 41 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: giving us a call and having a chat to a 42 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 2: clinician on the phone. When a young person's referred, they're 43 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 2: seeing generally within two weeks of receiving that referral. We 44 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: don't need a doctor letter with that or anything like that. 45 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 2: And it's just about having a chat to the young 46 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 2: person and family and finding out what the needs are 47 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: and kind of going from there. 48 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 1: Jessica, I'm not sure whether it's something you know, whether 49 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: it's information that you can provide or not. But you know, 50 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: are we seeing an increase in, you know, in the 51 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: numbers around eating disorders across Australia. You know, we know 52 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: that's sort of social media and kids being or young 53 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: people being exposed to you know, perfect body and perfect 54 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: people and you know, or what they maybe perceive as being. 55 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: That is really prevalent with the rise of social media. 56 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: So I guess I'm just interested to know whether you 57 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: know we've seen an increase in the numbers around eating disorders. 58 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly, I think from the evidence out there at 59 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: the moment does indicate that we are seeing a rise 60 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: and needing disorder presentations. I think as mental health to 61 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 2: to see within the community also thickens for young people 62 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: and families. We are seeing more and more young people 63 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: presenting with disordered eating at headspace. We really value that 64 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: early intervention space and thinking about getting in early before 65 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: things really escalate for young people and their families. I 66 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: think since COVID we've seen about a twenty five percent increase, 67 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: so it's quite significant. And what we understand about disordered 68 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: eating for young people and families is it's such an 69 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: impactful situation for young people and their families beyond the 70 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: young person themselves, but the impact that it has is 71 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: felt for the family and those around them quite significant. 72 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: Now, my next questions might be for clinical psychologists. Teagan Holtham, 73 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: who I know is they're with you as well, so 74 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: I might I might get Teagan if. 75 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 3: I if I may, Hi Katie, I'm here. 76 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: Hi Teagan, thanks so much. I really appreciate you both 77 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: having a chat with us this morning. Now, Teagan, as 78 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: a clinical psychologist, what support do the clinicians and the 79 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: specialists provide for conditions like anarexia because obviously we look 80 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: at it as needing disorder. But I know that you know, 81 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: a lot, like a lot of these theories, I would 82 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: imagine assistants needed, you know when it comes to you know, 83 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: to that mental support as well. 84 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, definitely, And eating is a really complex so it's 85 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 3: actually quite important to have a team of clinicians, including 86 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 3: a medical specialist so a GP or a pediatrician or 87 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 3: a psychiatrist, as well as a mental health clinician and 88 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 3: where possible having dietetics and sometimes other allied health involvement 89 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 3: as well, such as OT because it does impact individuals 90 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: and families in so many varied ways, certainly from the 91 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: mental health aspect. The way that we work with young 92 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: people is very family inclusive. The most research and evidence 93 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 3: based approach for young people with a arexia in family 94 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 3: based treatment. So it's quite an intensive treatment where we 95 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: provide weekly support to the young person and their family 96 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 3: and then also between session support sometimes in terms of 97 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 3: meal support or some guidance and connecting with the other 98 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: the other allied health sort of professionals within the team. 99 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 3: So it is quite resource intensive to support these family 100 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 3: but definitely incredibly important work. 101 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 1: Give us a little bit of context, you know when 102 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: you talk about some of the complexities in treating eating 103 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: disorders among young people. 104 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 3: Well, I guess. 105 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: I mean, like you said, involving her family as well. Yeah, 106 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: go for it. 107 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, A few different things come to mind. One thing 108 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: is that in adolescence, young people's bodies are doing so 109 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 3: much work and requiring so much nutrition. So the medical 110 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 3: complexity and risk is really quite heightened for young people, 111 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 3: so it's important to act really quickly. But part of 112 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 3: the difficulty with that is that eating disorders are often 113 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 3: something that are told quite shamefully or in secret, and 114 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 3: young people engaged have a lot of ambivalence. Partially they 115 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 3: want to get back to normal and want to be 116 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 3: healthy again, but there's a really significant amount of fear 117 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 3: that presents as a barrier to that, which makes things 118 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 3: incredibly complicated for families because they want to support a 119 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 3: young person to get well, but oftentimes the young person 120 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 3: finds that really challenging and might even fight back against that. 121 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 3: So it's a really really hard process for families to 122 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 3: go through. 123 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: And is that why it's so important that you know 124 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: that when they do come to headspace, that it's sort 125 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: of the family and everybody's involved. 126 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 3: Definitely. We know very very clearly from the research that 127 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 3: most young people, once in eating disorder is ingrained, cannot 128 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 3: recover on their own. We know that's actually true for 129 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 3: all individuals with an eating disorder, and it's one reason 130 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 3: why utilizing the family when we see adolescents has a 131 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 3: much greater efficacy rate. Our prognosis for treating young people 132 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 3: early in their journey is up to sort of eighty 133 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 3: five to ninety percent recovery if we can see them 134 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 3: within the first twelve months eating disorder treatment beyond that 135 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 3: time point, and in adults our efficacy is about fifty percent. 136 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 3: So it's really important that families, if they are concerned, 137 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: you know, act on those concerns as quickly as they can. 138 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 3: That's not a scare families, but really wanting to empower 139 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: families and parents out there. If you have got a concern, 140 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: trust your gut. You know you're a young person, there 141 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 3: is help available here in Darwin. Go to your GP, 142 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 3: reach out to Headspace and then we can connect with 143 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 3: the appropriate level of support if we can. 144 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: And in terms of services provided in Darwin as a whole, 145 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: is Headspace the only place supporting young people with eating disorders? 146 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: Do you know? 147 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 3: Heads based not the only service supporting people with eating disorders, 148 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: but we are limited in our scope. There is some 149 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: private options so in the community sector, which are fee 150 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 3: paying options, and there's a couple of dedicated clinics here 151 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 3: in the NT. We don't have sort of that wider 152 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 3: reaching supporters as families identified that did a little bit 153 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 3: of a gap, but there are definitely well trained and 154 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 3: experienced clinicians who are really dedicated working in this space. 155 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: So to anybody listening this morning, whose family you know 156 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: I may be going through this situation, what is your 157 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: advice to them? 158 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 3: Talk with you a young person, try to get a 159 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 3: handle on sort of what's happening, express your concerns, and 160 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 3: really try to listen. It might be the first time 161 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,080 Speaker 3: that you guys approach the subject, or it might be 162 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 3: something that's just a little bit of an inkling. I 163 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 3: definitely find if parents are concerned, it's worth being concerned 164 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 3: and reaching out from that point, making an appointment with 165 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 3: a GP, and if you don't have a family GP, 166 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 3: requesting a GP that has experience in eating disorders, because 167 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 3: sometimes it is a little bit of a specialized area 168 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 3: and it's worth looking around connect with headspace, particularly if 169 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 3: you're a young persons between the ages of twelve to 170 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,239 Speaker 3: twenty five, and if not, there are some really wonderful 171 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 3: national organizations on them too. Butterfly Foundation is a Body 172 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 3: Image and Eating disorders national organization that provides a huge 173 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 3: amount of training, has a national support a support line 174 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 3: that you can talk to just to sort of seek 175 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 3: some further information and eating disorders families. There earlier also 176 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: a national online organization that are dedicated to supporting the 177 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 3: cares of young people and adults within eating disorder. 178 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: Well, Tagan, I really appreciate your time this morning, and 179 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: also Jessicas, thank you both so very much for joining 180 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: us on the show. You know, we think it's really 181 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: important when you know, we have a family like the 182 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: one that did reach out to us to hopefully be 183 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: able to you know, provide them with some information to 184 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 1: be able to help their young person. And I know 185 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 1: that there will be others listening this morning who may 186 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: be in a similar situation, and knowing that the services 187 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: are there that Headspace provides I think is an enormous 188 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: help to those families impacted. 189 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having us. We really appreciate it. 190 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: Thank you, thanks so much for your time this morning.